Foot support



April 23, 1957 J, J, AUCOIN 2,789,624

' FOOT SUPPORT Filed Feb. 11, 1954 INVENTORK JOHN. J. AUGOIN Elke ATTORNEY F091 SUPPORT John J. Aucoin, Houston, Tex. Application February 11, 1954, Serial No. 409,584 Claims. (Cl. 155-165) The present invention relates to a bracket assembly of an adjustable type and more specifically pertains to a device for supporting the foot of a human being or patient in various positions for facilitating the knitting of fractures and during the treatment of other ailments of the foot or the leg of an individual.

An object of the invention is to provide adevice which may be secured to a portion of a bed or the like in various positions thereon and to provide a scoop .shaped member in which the foot of an individual may be accommodated and supported in various adjusted positions including means for adjusting the angle of inclination of the support member including means for maintaining the scoop shaped member in various rotating positions to properly support the foot of a patient during treatment or recuperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the scoop shaped member of the foot support in various adjusted positions including a pair of U-shaped rod structures which may be adjusted relative to each other and with respect to a clamp for securing the device on a portion of the bed or the like whereby the foot support may be conveniently moved to and secured in a proper supporting position.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent particularly to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the bracket assembly providing a foot support exhibiting the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a plate on which the foot receiving member is mounted with portions of the device shown in section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the device showing straps in positions for holding the foot in association with the support.

The bracket assembly is useful for supporting the foot of an individual in various positions during the healing of a fracture of bones of the foot or leg or the hip and the device has utility in supporting the foot of a patient suitering from other ailments. The foot support may be used in hospitals or similar institutions and it is desirably formed of aluminum or stainless steel or combinations of such metals.

The device includes a member for receiving the foot of a patient. This portion of the support may be regarded as scoop shaped and includes a flange 11 of U-shape as will be apparent from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 3. The flange of the device may be formed of sheet metal and is provided with upstanding legs 12 and 14 which may be of less width than the base portion 11 of the flange. The flange is secured to a fiat plate 16 by means of rivets or the like 17 which cooperate with I United States PatentO "ice angle brackets (not shown). The plate 16 has arcuate ends 15 as shown in Fig. 2.

The front face of the plate 16 is covered with a layer 18 of cushion material such as sponge rubber or the like which is bonded to the face of the plate 16. The inner surface of the flange 11 including the inverted legs 12 and 14 also carries a layer of cushion material 19 such as sponge rubber or the like adhesively bonded thereto. The cushion material covers the angle brackets (not shown) which cooperate with the rivets 17 to hold the flange 11 in association with the plate 16. The layers 18 and 19 serve to provide cushion surfaces in the areas engaged by a foot supported by the device.

A bar 21 is provided along the leg 14 ofthe scoop shaped foot receiving member and may be attached thereto by means of rivets 22. The bar 21 is spaced from the outer face of the leg 14 to provide a loop in which one or more straps such as shown at 23 may be accommodated to hold the foot in place within the scoop shaped structure. A similar bar 24 is provided along the outer face of the leg 12 and secured thereto by rivets or the like 26. The bar 24 is spaced outwardly from the leg 12 to form a loop in which one or more of the straps 23 may be accommodated. A shorter metal bar 28 i mounted on the lower portion of the flange 11 by means of rivets or the like 29 to provide a loop for a strap 23 adapted to extend over the instep or ankle to assist in maintenance of the foot in proper position within the scoop shaped portion.

The scoop shaped member is supported by means of a plate 31 having an arcuate shaped upper end 32 corresponding in curvature to the end surface 15 of the plate 16. The lower end of the plate 31 is provided with an integral lug 33 which is bent to provide a clip as shown in Fig. l. A pair of bracket clips 34 are secured to the plate 31 near the upper end thereof by means of bolt and nut assemblies 36. The inner ends of these bolts are covered by the cushion layer 18.

A rod structure of U-shape is attached to the upper end of the plate 31. This rod structure includes legs 37 and 33 and an intermediate portion 39 which is held in position adjacent the plate 31 by means of the bracket clips 34. This rod structure may swing about the axis of the intermediate portion 39. A second rod, structure is attached to the plate 31 and includes legs 41 and 42 and an intermediate portion 43 is accommodated in the lug 33 so that it may rotate about the axis of the intermediate portion 43. The second rod structure provides support for the lower end of the device.

The free ends of the legs 41 and 42 are adapted to be adjustably secured in various positions along the length of the legs 37 and 38 of the first rod structure. In the embodiment illustrated a block shaped element 46 is mounted for sliding movement on the rod leg 37 and a similar block shaped element 47 is mounted for sliding movement on the rod leg 38. A screw 48 having a head which may be readily manipulated extends freely through an opening in the leg 42 and is threaded in the block element 47. The inner end of the screw 48 is adapted to engage the periphery of the rod leg 38 and to secure the block element and the upper end of the rod leg 42 in an adjusted position on the rod leg 38. A similar screw arrangement is provided for connecting the upper end of the rod leg 41 to the block element 46 for securing these parts in various adjusted positions on the rod leg 37.

A clamp unit is provided at the free ends of the rod legs 37 and 38 for mounting the foot supporting device on a bed or the like whereby the scoop shaped member will be held in proper position for receiving the foot of a patient. In the embodiment illustrated a plate 51 is References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Scholder June 4, 1901 Loshbough Mar. 24, 1908 5 Riley Apr. 3, 1917 Ferragamo Dec. 6, 1921 Du Moulin Dec. 4, 1928 6 Moran Jan. 22, 1929 Phillips Sept. 7, 1948 Brachman Sept. 20, 1949 Bosler Mar. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov. 21, 1932 

